Best 15-Minute Creamy Pesto (Print Version)

A quick, creamy pasta tossed with basil pesto and Parmesan, perfect for a tasty weeknight dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz penne or fusilli pasta

→ Creamy Pesto Sauce

02 - ½ cup heavy cream
03 - ⅓ cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
04 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

08 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)
09 - Fresh basil leaves, for serving
10 - Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne or fusilli according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Whisk in basil pesto and Parmesan cheese, cooking until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat thoroughly. If necessary, incorporate reserved pasta water gradually to achieve desired sauce consistency.
05 - Divide the pasta evenly among bowls. Garnish with toasted pine nuts, fresh basil leaves, and extra Parmesan cheese as desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout and tastes like you actually tried.
  • The creamy pesto clings to every ridge of pasta in a way that plain pesto never does.
  • You can make it with whateverpenne, fusilli, even spaghetti works.
  • It feels indulgent but uses ingredients you probably already have.
02 -
  • Dont skip reserving the pasta water because that starchy liquid is the only thing that will bring a too-thick sauce back to life without making it greasy.
  • Add the garlic to warm oil, not screaming hot oil, or itll turn bitter and brown before you even get the cream in.
  • Taste your pesto before you add extra salt because some jars are already packed with it and you dont want to ruin the whole dish.
03 -
  • Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for two minutes, shaking the pan constantly, because they go from golden to burnt in seconds.
  • If your pesto tastes flat, a tiny squeeze of lemon juice right at the end will wake up all the flavors without making it sour.
  • Use a skillet thats big enough to toss the pasta comfortably, or youll end up flinging creamy pesto all over your stove.
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